Child Support

Children thrive when they receive the needed support and love from their parents—regardless of custody status. This includes not only emotional support, but financial support as well. Child support enforcement services are partnerships between Federal, State, local and Tribal entities which aim to provide family-centered services in the location of parents, establishment of paternity, establishment of support orders and collection of support payments. The Child Support section of the SSRC highlights current research and programs in such key issue areas as arrears, incarceration, multiple partner fertility, non-resident parent involvement, visitation, payment incentives and barriers, and work incentives and barriers.

View recommendations from the SSRC Librarian on Child Support and relevant Federal laws and regulations below.

Research on the relationship between child support and pathways to self-sufficiency for low-income individuals and families frequently discusses child support arrears and modification and multiple partner fertility. Click the phrase below to view selected research and resources relevant to child support arrears and modification and multiple partner fertility.

During this Webinar, Dr. Craigie discussed effects of family structure and instability on early child wellbeing, the advantages and disadvantages of formal versus informal child support, and implications for policy and future research.

This webinar described key research-based strategies to increase family self-sufficiency through child support policies and practices and highlighted evaluation findings and recommendations from state and local programs implementing these strategies.

Federal laws and regulations establish a framework which guides the design and administration of child support programs for low-income individuals. Click the first link below to view legislative resources specific to child support programs. Click the second link to browse additional self-sufficiency legislation and policy in the SSRC library.